{"id":9435,"date":"2022-04-30T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-30T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/?p=9435"},"modified":"2022-04-29T14:51:55","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T18:51:55","slug":"stick-to-baseball-4-30-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/30\/stick-to-baseball-4-30-22\/","title":{"rendered":"Stick to baseball, 4\/30\/22."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>For subscribers to The Athletic this week, I offered my first &#8220;overreaction theater&#8221; post, looking at the first three weeks of games <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/3276707\/2022\/04\/28\/mlb-prospects-debuts-overreaction\/\">from players who made their MLB debuts this month<\/a>. I also held my first <a href=\"https:\/\/klaw.me\/3xXSSvN\">Klawchat<\/a> in a while on Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over at Paste, I reviewed the game <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pastemagazine.com\/games\/skull-canyon-ski-fest-board-game-review\/\">Skull Canyon: Ski Fest<\/a>, which combines a Ticket to Ride-like mechanic with extra rounds where you go get bonus cards that help you rack up more points or do more things with each turn. It&#8217;s quite good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On The Keith Law Show, I spoke with <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/podcast\/168-the-keith-law-show\/?episode=92\">Dr. Ellen Hendriksen<\/a>, author of the fantastic book <em>How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety <\/em>(which <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/2960\/9781250122223\">you can buy here<\/a>). You can subscribe via <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-keith-law-show\/id1499877854\">iTunes<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/SpotKlawPod\">Spotify<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/show\/the-keith-law-show\">Stitcher<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3s1basB\">amazon<\/a>, or wherever you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sent out a new issue of <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyletter.com\/keithlaw\">my free email newsletter<\/a> yesterday. You can find both of my books, <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/2960\/9780062490230\"><em>Smart Baseball<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/2960\/9780062942739\"><em>The Inside Game<\/em><\/a>, in paperback anywhere books are sold, including Bookshop.org.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And now, the links\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Longreads first: You&#8217;ve probably seen it by now, but the <em>Washington Post<\/em>&#8216;s Taylor Lorenz <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/technology\/2022\/04\/19\/libs-of-tiktok-right-wing-media\/\">revealed the identity of the woman behind the noxious LibsOfTikTok account<\/a>, which has been doxing teachers and others who might dare to offer views in support of pro-LGBTQ+ rights.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Why is the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) <a href=\"https:\/\/newrepublic.com\/article\/166154\/2022-cpac-conference-budapest-hungary-orban\">holding its convention in Budapest<\/a>, home to Hungarian President Viktor Orb\u00e1n, an anti-Semitic Putin adherent? Maybe because they agree with his views \u2013 and perhaps are trying to find new funding sources now that Russia&#8217;s spigot is off.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A school superintendent in North Texas has vowed to get rid of any books in school libraries that mention LGBTQ+ themes, including transgender people. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/were-going-to-be-conservative-official-orders-books-removed-from-schools-targeting-titles-about-transgender-people\">It may not be constitutional<\/a>. It&#8217;s certainly pandering to a religious minority. And it mirrors battles going on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/nation\/2022\/04\/17\/public-libraries-books-censorship\/\">across the country in public library systems<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>New York has a &#8220;Ferguson problem,&#8221; where many localities in the state use fines and fees to boost their revenues, with <a href=\"https:\/\/nopriceonjustice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/New_York_Ferguson_Problem_NPJ_Report.pdf\">disparate impact on the poor and on residents of color<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <em>New York Times<\/em>, which owns my employer, has been twisting crime statistics <a href=\"https:\/\/fair.org\/home\/nyt-twists-stats-to-insist-we-need-more-policing\/\">to support an argument that the city needs more policing<\/a>, according to FAIR.org.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is way past time that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fcnl.org\/updates\/2022-04\/national-coalition-demands-end-military-support-war-yemen\">the U.S. end its military support for the Saudi war on Yemen<\/a>.<br><\/li><li>Michigan State Senator Tom Barrett (R) is running for the U.S. House, and sent out a fundraising text that appeared to <a href=\"https:\/\/michiganadvance.com\/2022\/04\/21\/sen-barrett-fundraising-ask-claims-your-child-is-scheduled-for-gender-reassignment-surgery\/\">ask recipients to confirm their child&#8217;s &#8220;gender reassignment surgery&#8221; appointment<\/a>. This is incredibly vile, but also, it&#8217;s fearmongering bullshit. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2021\/04\/22\/transgender-child-sports-treatments\/\">There is no gender reassignment surgery for children<\/a>. If you want to support his likely opponent, Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-8) is running for the same seat after redistricting, and <a href=\"https:\/\/elissaforcongress.com\/\">you can donate to her campaign here<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Speaking of Michigan, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D) gave <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/media-social-michigan-9651ec94e425db841581562aed6bbcbb\">an impassioned speech against Republicans&#8217; hateful &#8220;grooming&#8221; rhetoric<\/a> aimed at LGBTQ+ people.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Fragile white alumni of the Virginia Military Institute are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/dc-md-va\/2022\/04\/16\/vmi-critical-race-theory-equity\/\">fighting to roll back the school&#8217;s diversity initiatives<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/corner\/farewell-to-free-speech-say-florida-republicans\/\">Florida Republicans are saying farewell to free speech<\/a>, according to the notoriously left-wing periodical (checks notes) the <em>National Review.<\/em> Florida might be <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CathyNotToday\/status\/1515294200471986178\">the least free state<\/a> in the country at this point, between their war on math and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salon.com\/2022\/04\/18\/banning-math-books-and-attacking-libraries-ramp-up-their-mission-to-spread-ignorance\/\">their campaign to cleanse libraries<\/a>. The <em>New York Times<\/em> examined 21 of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/04\/22\/us\/florida-rejected-textbooks.html\">the math textbooks Florida rejected<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Meanwhile, the state is only approving math textbooks from one firm, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tallahassee.com\/story\/news\/2022\/04\/19\/desantis-textbooks-florida-woke-one-publisher-allowed-k-5-math-classes\/7357965001\/\">Virginia&#8217;s race-baiting Governor Glenn Youngkin used to run<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A beautiful response: A Florida resident is circulating petitions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/04\/26\/1094740651\/florida-man-asks-schools-to-ban-the-bible-following-the-states-efforts-to-remove\">to ban any mention of the Bible in public schools<\/a> there, which has a lot more basis in our Constitution than the state&#8217;s attempts to criminalize any mention of sexual orientation or gender identity.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Texas Gov. Greg Abbott&#8217;s stunt at the border turned up no drugs and no migrants, but it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chron.com\/politics\/article\/Border-inspections-law-Abbott-policy-migrants-cost-17119380.php\">will cost the state $4.2 billion<\/a>. I thought the Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility? How is any taxpayer there okay with this much money, about $425 per Texas household, being thrown away?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>He&#8217;s also sending busloads of migrants to Washington, D.C., using people as objects \u2013 which, I suppose, is in line with Texas&#8217; history prior to 1865. You can join me in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/help-migrants-sent-to-washington-dc-from-texas\">donating to this GoFundMe<\/a> to help these immigrants travel to their ultimate destinations or provide them with other needed items.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>All the progress we&#8217;d made on reducing exemptions to childhood vaccination mandates is eroding, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salon.com\/2022\/04\/23\/anti-vaccine-ideology-gains-ground-as-lawmakers-seek-to-erode-rules-for-kids-shots_partner\/\">we&#8217;re going to end up worse than where we started<\/a> as religious zealots seek to further expand those exemptions (even though no major religion opposes vaccinations).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Employees at the firm that provides QA to the software developer Bioware <a href=\"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/23041676\/bioware-qa-union-keywords-mass-effect-dragon-age\">are trying to unionize<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>How did Barnes &amp; Noble become <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/04\/15\/arts\/barnes-noble-bookstores.html\">a tentative ally of independent bookstores<\/a>? Via a common enemy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Board game news: Well, not news, but watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?app=desktop&amp;utm_source=pocket_mylist&amp;v=lGX4JD3cgHA\">this wonderful 1982 BBC mini-documentary on tabletop gaming<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Autobahn, a heavy economic game from the designer of Merv and Ragusa, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/alleycatgames\/autobahn\">is now on Kickstarter<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Eagle-Gryphon introduced a pair of new games from Portuguese designers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eaglegames.net\/Lisbon-Tram-28-p\/102387.htm\">Lisbon Tram 28<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eaglegames.net\/Porto-p\/102388.htm\">Porto<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A school in Uganda is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/boardgames\/comments\/u1wu7y\/uganda_village_boardgame_convention_2022\/\">bringing back its annual board game convention<\/a> for kids for the first time since 2019. They posted on Reddit, looking for funding help, but since I saved this link they&#8217;ve actually reached their goal.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Paradox Interactive, which makes video games and has co-published board games based on several of those titles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paradoxinteractive.com\/pdxcon\">announced dates and info for PDXCON 2022<\/a>. I attended this event in 2018, at their invitation &amp; expense, and enjoyed it quite a bit, although I stuck to the tabletop stuff.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For subscribers to The Athletic this week, I offered my first &#8220;overreaction theater&#8221; post, looking at the first three weeks of games from players who made their MLB debuts this month. I also held my first Klawchat in a while on Thursday. Over at Paste, I reviewed the game Skull Canyon: Ski Fest, which combines [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1083,128,190,961,1173,568,1197,870,477,1269,807],"class_list":["post-9435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-board-game-news","tag-florida","tag-links","tag-longreads","tag-michigan","tag-new-york","tag-police","tag-stick-to-baseball","tag-texas","tag-unions","tag-vaccines","entry"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9435"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9436,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9435\/revisions\/9436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meadowparty.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}